


of ashes and flames

by kimbyunjeon



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff and Crack, Insecurity, M/M, kinda like hunger games au?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 16:19:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8168240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimbyunjeon/pseuds/kimbyunjeon
Summary: "It's ugly, isn't it?" Kyungsoo mumbles. "What is? What are you talking about?" "I'm ugly now," Kyungsoo sobs, his fingers reaching out to touch the burnt skin, to remind himself of it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> moved this fic from my LJ which im planning to close
> 
> anyway, prompt given: dusty spectacles and aloe vera gel

He steps into the building, coughing as he treads through the mounds of ash on the ground. He carefully places his backpack on a particular part on the ground that he cleared with his shoes. He rummages in his backpack, retrieving his handkerchief and a bottle of water. He doesn't hesitate to pour half the bottle of water onto his handkerchief.  
  
  He makes his way to where the washroom once was and removes his dusty spectacles, putting them aside before slowly dabbing the wet cloth on the burn on his face. He winces in pain, making no attempt to squint at the mirror to get a better look of his burn. The blazing fire was no joke. This war was a disaster. He wonders why he came back running to his old home anyway, when it was already all burnt to ash and dust. Everything that once was his, was all gone.  
  
  Just taking a trip back to visit his previous sanctuary had earned him an ugly burn on his face, done by a villager who thought he was a threat, and had jabbed a flaming torch at his face. He was really angry at the villager for harming an innocent person, but he couldn't blame him. Everyone was told not to wander around and were notified to stay in their homes. They were all hiding in fear, struggling to protect their families. It was natural for them to think that he was a threat, running off alone like that.  
  
  He lets out a deep sigh, thinking about his own family: the only person he had left since his parents passed away.  
  
  "He was gone when the fire struck our area," the few remaining survivors of his city informed him, "we didn't find him at home and no one knows where he went."  
  
  That particular day, they were separated, one at their home city, and himself at the capitol running errands. He regrets leaving the person who meant so much to him back home, he should have brought him along and none of this would happen. A small part of him holds onto the hope that Jongin was alive. Yet now, he was alone, cold, hurt and lonely.  
  
  "Kyungsoo?" A slightly muffled voice pipes up from the other side of the room, and Kyungsoo shrieks in fright, clambering on what was left of the wall for support.  
  
  That voice, he'd know it anywhere.  
  
  "J-Jongin?" He tries, not able to see clearly without his glasses, everything a blur. He reaches for it, hands searching on the counter top until it comes in contact with another's skin which was covered in filth.  
  
  "Here," someone helps him put on his spectacles after blowing the dust off, "now you can see me."  
  
  It takes a moment for Kyungsoo's vision to clear, and that's when he sees a pair of beautiful eyes glowering back at him, and he realizes that they're Jongin's.  
  
  "Oh," he breathes, trying to take it in. Observing the amount of ash on Jongin's skin, Kyungsoo deducts that tan skinned Jongin had camouflaged with the ash as well as the burnt walls, and miraculously survived the war.  
  
  Kyungsoo wants to ask so many questions; he has so many things to say, and was about to lecture Jongin on why he disappeared without telling anyone where he went, or that he was here the whole time, alone and afraid, and why didn't Jongin contact him or look for him, but all that comes out is a garbled noise when Jongin kisses him passionately and slowly. Kyungsoo wanted to initiate the kiss, but suddenly remembers his burn and pulls away, immediately hiding his face. The expression on Jongin's face is a mixture of confusion and disappointment.  
  
  "It's ugly, isn't it?" Kyungsoo mumbles.  
  
  "What is? What are you talking about?"  
  
  "I'm ugly now," Kyungsoo sobs, his fingers reaching out to touch the burnt skin, to remind himself of it.  
  
  "No," Jongin says firmly, cupping his hands on Kyungsoo's face, turning it so Kyungsoo is looking into his eyes, "you were always the most beautiful being on earth to me and you always will be. Please never forget that. That burn will not change who you are, neither will it change my love for you."  
  
  Kyungsoo hugs Jongin, because he misses Jongin so much he wonders why he didn't tell Jongin to come along with him back then. He grips the hem of Jongin's shirt tightly, as if doing so will ensure that Jongin will stay by his side forever.  
  
  "I'm not going anywhere," Jongin reassures him and Kyungsoo see him reach for his back pocket to take out a small square box.  
  
   "What's that?" A small square box can only mean one thing to Kyungsoo, and he hopes it's not what he thinks it is because he's not ready, he isn't ready for anything at all-  
  
  "Aloe Vera gel, for your burn."

**Author's Note:**

> did y'all think this was going to be some cool story lul no :-)
> 
> anyway thank you so much for reading! im currently working on a jikook fic so please wait for it!


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